Chantilly Tops Oakton for 1st Time Since '00

Before the first pitch last night at No. 2 Oakton, no fewer than six Chantilly batters stood outside the dugout taking practice cuts as Cougars senior starter Bret Williams finished his warmup.

The synchronized swinging seemed like an empty threat when the No. 10 Chargers managed only an infield hit the first time through the order. The second time through, however, was a different story.

Senior center fielder Chris Gentile and junior first baseman Brian King delivered two-out homers in the middle innings, and King later blooped home what turned out to be the winning run -- also with two outs -- in a 6-5 victory that marked the Chargers' first over Oakton since 2000.

The teams are now tied atop the Virginia AAA Concorde District with one regular season game left for each.

King's three-run shot in the fourth might have been the more improbable of the two round-trippers. It was his first homer in what has been a "frustrating beyond belief" season because of out-of-whack plate mechanics, guessing at pitches and thinking too much.

To boot, he had struck out on three pitches in his first at-bat against Williams. Even so, he was more relaxed than he has been.

"Coach told me not to swing for the fences, and I didn't," King said with a laugh. "Home runs are mistakes, really. I can't fight it. I have to stop thinking and hit the ball, I guess."

"He tries too hard," Chantilly Coach Kevin Ford said. "The kid just gives you everything he's got and sometimes overdoes it."

Chantilly (13-5, 9-2) scored its first four runs with two outs. The first was Gentile's solo shot in the third -- his two homers lead the team -- that cut Oakton's lead to 2-1. In the fourth, senior Patrick Moore singled with two outs and senior Chris Yates doubled into the right field corner to set up King's center field blast.

"We haven't hit a ball that far all year," Ford said.

The Chargers required only one inning from their trio of Division I-bound pitchers. Junior left-hander Jordan Johnson retired 11 in a row at one point and pitched into the fifth, before yielding to junior John Colella. Yates (William & Mary), who missed a chunk of the season with a shoulder problem, came on in the seventh and retired the Cougars in order.

The top three batters in the order for Oakton (15-3, 9-2) -- seniors Keith Werman, Connor Madden and Kevin Wager -- combined to go 5 for 11; the rest of the lineup was 1 for 16.

No. 10 Chantilly 6, No. 2 Oakton 5 Departing Seven: Oakton honored its seven departing seniors before the game, including at least three college-bound players -- catcher Keith Werman (Virginia), infielder Kevin Wager (Villanova) and shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez (Maryland). Still to Play: Oakton has a game remaining against Robinson, and Chantilly has a game left with Westfield. No. 10 Chantilly 6, No. 2 Oakton 5 Departing Seven: Oakton honored its seven departing seniors before the game, including at least three college-bound players -- catcher Keith Werman (Virginia), infielder Kevin Wager (Villanova) and shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez (Maryland). Still to Play: Oakton has a game remaining against Robinson, and Chantilly has a game left with Westfield.